COUDERSPORT PLAYS SHARPSVILLE IN OPENING ROUND OF PIAA CLASS A PLAYOFFS

The Falcons enter the game coming off an 18-13 win over defending champion Curwensville in the District 9 title game, while Sharpsville is coming off a 39-6 win over Iroquois in the District 10 title tilt.

Coudersport likes to use a balanced passing and rushing attack that is led by its quarterback Ben Cary and top rusher Mike Maiuro. The Falcons have run for 1,970 yards in 2001 while passing for 1,539. They have gone to the air more in the playoffs passing for 400 yards while rushing for 220.

The left-handed Cary has had a sensational season passing for the second most yards in District 9 this year (1,418) on 78-for-171 passing (45.6%). He has thrown 15 touchdown passes and just six interceptions. In his two playoff games he is 18-for-43 (41.9%) for 400 yards while throwing five touchdowns and just two interceptions. In the District 9 title game he was 11-for-18 for 222 yards and three touchdowns to go along with one pick.

As good as Cary has been through the air Maiuro has been just as tough on the ground. He has rushed for 910 yards on 210 carries (4.3 yards per carry) while scoring 10 touchdowns.

At wide receiver, Steve Brink has been the go-to guy for the Falcons. He has 24 catches for 574 yards and eight touchdowns. He has been very good in the playoffs with seven grabs for 232 yards and three touchdowns including five catches for 165 yards and two scores against Curwensville.

Cary, Maiuro and Brink might be the three stars on the Coudersport offense, but three other players have figured in heavily to the Falcon success. They are fullback Ross Simcoe, halfback/wide receiver Zach Hershey and tight end Dane Haskins.

Simcoe has rushed the ball 75 times for 471 yards and five scores, while Haskins has 23 catches for 421 yards and five scores to go along with six carries for 103 yards and two touchdowns. Hershey has carried the ball 42 times for 210 yards and four scores and has caught 15 passes for 196 yards and a score.

While the Coudersport offense has been steady scoring an average of 26.3 points per game, it has been the Falcons defense that has been the real story. Coudersport has allowed only 79 points all season, an average of 7.2 ppg. If you take away the Falcons only loss of the season, a 32-6 defeat to Smethport, Coudersport is allowing on 4.7 ppg in its 10 wins.

Sharpville is an old pro at the state playoffs. The Blue Devils won the 1997 state title, lost in the opening round of the 1999 playoffs to Cameron County and lost in the Western Finals to eventual champion Rochester last season. Last year Sharpsville defeated Curwensville 7-0 in the opening round of the PIAA playoffs.

The lone loss for the Devils this season was a freaky 10-9 defeat to Pius X. Pius X kicked a 41-yard free kick from a kicking tee following a fair catch of a punt for a three-point field goal to win the game.

The Devils rely mostly on the running game that is helped by the occasional pass. The offense is averaging 317 yards per game and 26.4 points per contest.

Ron Haywood leads the Sharpville ground attack rushed for 920 yards and 13 touchdowns during the regular season. Not fair behind Haywood is Eric Major who rushed for 762 yards during the regular season.

At quarterback, the Devils use a platoon system with senior Bill Stiger, who also sees time at wide receiver, and sophomore Mark Anglin.

Stiger, last year's starter, missed the first four games of the season with a knee injury allowing Angling to come in and perform well. Anglin has completed 40.6 percent of his passes and is averaging 5.86 yards per completion. When he came back, Stiger was put at wide receiver, but he has taken at least half the snaps at quarterback for the past seven games.

On defense, Sharpsville is just as strong if not stronger than Coudersport. The Devils allowed only 125 yards per game during the regular season and only 7.7 points per game during the regular campaign.

Editor's Note: Information on Sharpsville for this story came from Dr. Ed Uberti, the team physician for the Blue Devils. For more information about Sharpsville please visit Dr. Uberti's web site at www.eteamz.com/svillebluedevils01